Jilly-Bean
by AllyLobster
Summary: AU. Kate had her wild child phase, and ended up with a baby. 7 years later, Rick stops by her apartment after she suddenly leaves the precinct and gets quite the shock. Just give it a chance, please. Please read and review.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I got another idea. I know, I know, I have tons of other stories to finish. But whatever. **

**This is COMPLETELY AU. And I don't own anything recognizable.**

**Some background info on this:**

**1) Kate has a 7-year-old daughter. She's said that she went through a 'wild child' phase, so I don't think it's a stretch to imagine that she got pregnant. When the story starts, Rick doesn't know she has a kid.**

**2) She had the baby when she was 18, and while her parents were originally shocked, they ultimately convinced her to keep the baby, and helped her raise her daughter while finishing high school.**

**3) Johanna Beckett was still murdered, but it was a year later, so Kate was 20.**

**4) Kate never went to Stanford. She applied and got in, but having a baby made it more feasible to stay in New York. Instead, she enrolled in the academy right away.**

**5) Jim Beckett still turned to the bottle, but after a year, Kate threatened to keep her daughter away from him, so he went into rehab and is now the best grandfather.**

**6) Kate's been a detective for a few years, and has been in charge of her team for just over 2 years.**

**7) Rick's life is basically the same, but Alexis is about 10, and Rick isn't quite as old as he is in the show. He's been divorced from Gina for nearly two years, and has been working with Kate for a few months.**

**That's basically it. Let's see what happens.**

* * *

Ryan was giving Kate the rundown on their suspect when her phone rang. She took one look at the screen before excusing herself.

Rick watched as she walked away, his writer's mind already coming up with theories about the phone call, and why she'd looked so concerned. Ultimately, his attention was drawn back to the murder board and the information Ryan was now sharing with Espo and Rick.

* * *

"Hey, guys?" Kate asked a few minutes later.

"Yeah?" Espo answered, a look of concern on his face.

"I've gotta head home. Can you cover for me today and tomorrow?"

Esposito gave her a quick once over and nodded. "You got it."

Kate gave him a thankful smile before she grabbed her jacket and hurried to catch the elevator.

"What's going on?" Rick asked, confused by everything that had just happened.

Ryan and Esposito shook their heads and turned back to their work, and after a moment, Rick joined them.

* * *

Kate drove quickly through the streets; grateful she'd gotten the call when traffic wasn't too horrible. After about 15 minutes, she pulled into a parking lot and killed the engine. She took a steadying breath before She opened the door and walked inside.

"Ms. Beckett. Glad you could get here so soon." The receptionist said with a smile.

"Thanks for calling." Kate answered as she signed her name where the lady indicated.

"She'll be in here in just a moment."

Kate nodded her thanks and went to sit in a chair while she waited. It wasn't long before she heard a familiar voice calling to her.

"Momma!"

Kate smiled as she stood and held her arms open. "Hey, baby girl."

"I thought Poppa was gonna pick me up."

Kate smiled as she brushed her daughter's hair away from her eyes. "Well, I wasn't busy, and I figured you wouldn't mind. What happened, Jilly-bean?"

"I got sick." The little girl said with a grimace. "The nurse said I have a fever and have to go home."

Kate nodded as she pulled her daughter's backpack onto her shoulder and pulled her daughter into her arms.

"Then let's get you home, alright?"

"Can I sleep?"

"Wait until we get home, ok?"

Kate's daughter nodded as they headed back toward the car. When they arrived, Kate held the door open for her and made sure she was buckled before closing the door and making her way to the driver's seat. She got in and tossed her daughter's backpack on the passenger seat.

"Hey, Jilly-bean, wait to sleep till we get home, ok? Then I'll get you some medicine."

"I'm so tired now, Momma."

"I know, baby. It won't take us long to get home."

When Kate got an affirmative nod, she made her way out of the parking lot and toward their apartment.

* * *

They arrived 10 minutes later, and Kate wasn't surprised to find her daughter asleep.

"Come on, Jilly. Let's get you upstairs." Kate said quietly.

Her daughter nodded and shuffled toward the elevator. When they finally got into their apartment, Kate dropped their bags by the door and crouched down to her daughter's level.

"Go put on some pajamas and lay down, alright? I'll bring you some medicine in a bit, and then I'll call Poppa and see if he has any of that turkey soup you like, ok?"

"'Kay." Her daughter responded softly.

Kate smiled and kissed her forehead before gently pushing her daughter in the direction of her bedroom.

After she called her dad and asked him to come over, Kate went into her bathroom and got out the children's Motrin and brought it back to the kitchen where she got the recommended dosage ready for her daughter. Just as she was about to head to her daughter's bedroom, she heard a knock on the door.

Confused, Kate made her way over, knowing it was too early for her dad to have arrived.

When she pulled the door open, Kate stared at the person in front of her in shock.

"Castle? What are you doing here?"

Rick looked sheepish as he looked down at his shoes. "You just- you left in such a rush, and I just wanted to make sure that you were ok."

Before Kate could answer, another voice joined in.

"Momma? Is that Poppa?"

Rick looked into Kate's apartment when he heard the voice, and found himself frozen in shock. The little girl he saw had to be about 7 years old, although she was tiny. She had Kate's chestnut hair that fell straight to her waist, and when she looked up at him, the brilliance of her green eyes shocked him.

"You're not my Poppa." She said as she leaned into Kate's side, and Rick watched in awe and Kate's hand automatically ran through the girl's hair, before cupping the back of her head.

"Your Poppa?" Rick asked. He knew that Kate was single, and he was just realizing that this girl probably had a father.

"Yup. Momma's Daddy. He's bringing me soup, cause I got sick at school."

Rick nodded as he brought his eyes up from the little girl to look at Kate. She still seemed surprised to see him, but she didn't seem to mind that he was learning these things about her.

"Jilly-bean, why aren't you laying down?" Kate asked, suddenly just remembering her instructions to her daughter.

"I did. I was waiting for you to bring me medicine, and then I heard voices, and I thought it was Poppa."

Kate smiled down at her. "Poppa's still at work, baby. It'll be a while before he can come over."

"Oh." Her daughter replied softly.

Kate sighed. "Why don't you go lay down in my room, ok? Then I'll bring you some medicine."

Her daughter nodded and turned to make her way to Kate's bedroom. She was halfway there when her mother's voice stopped her.

"Jillian Rose Beckett, don't you dare use my pillow."

Rick was shocked that she would tell her daughter to lay in her bed, but not to use her pillow, until he looked and saw the smile on her face.

"I don't need Jilly-bean cooties."

Jillian laughed. "I'll make my cooties go all over your stuff."

Kate took what was supposed to be a threatening step toward her daughter, but the smile on her face thwarted any efforts of looking scary. Jillian stuck her tongue out before she turned and continued into Kate's bedroom.

When her daughter was out of sight, Kate sighed and turned back to find Rick still staring at her in shock.

Kate ran a hand through her hair and opened the door wider. "Guess I have some explaining to do, huh?"

Rick nodded as he stepped inside.

* * *

**Well, there's that. I really have no idea where I'm taking this, but it invaded my brain, and I couldn't really write anything else until I got it all out. Hope you guys liked it, and that it's not too random.**

**Reviews are wonderful. You should write one. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the reviews. And to the guest reviewer who called me a prude because I called Kate having a motorcycle a 'wild child' thing, thank you. I really can't think of a better way to start my day than by having someone tell me that I'm a prude. **

**Also, I've decided that Rick and Kate were going to try to start some kind of a relationship, but then he found out that she has a kid, so now they need to talk. Yeah. It makes sense in my head.**

* * *

Kate watched as Rick entered the apartment and stopped just inside, as if unsure of where to go.

"You can have a seat on the couch, I'll be right back." Kate said as she grabbed the medicine and water bottle off the counter and walked into her bedroom. Rick nodded and sank into the couch and tried to figure out if he'd missed any sign of Kate's daughter in the few months he'd been working with her.

When Kate entered her bedroom, she smiled when she saw her daughter waiting for her.

"Here you go." She said softly as she handed the medicine over.

"Is it the yucky stuff?" Jillian asked.

"You can either take the medicine and start to get better, and I'll let you stay home tomorrow, or you can not take it, and not get better, and I'll make you go to school tomorrow." Kate said seriously.

Immediately, Jillian popped the tablets into her mouth and chewed them, before swallowing with a grimace and washing it down with a little bit of water.

Kate smiled and leaned in to kiss her daughter's forehead. "You know I wasn't going to make you go to school tomorrow regardless of if you took it or not, right?"

Jillian nodded. "Yeah. But I don't like being sick."

"I know, baby. We'll get you better in no time. Now sleep, and I'll let you know when Poppa gets here, ok?"

Jillian nodded and curled up under the covers, holding her stuffed elephant tightly. Kate gave her one last kiss before turning and leaving the room. She'd almost forgotten that Rick was waiting for her, and jumped a little when she found him still sitting on the couch.

"Sorry." Kate murmured as she walked into the kitchen. "Do you want something to drink? Water, coffee?"

"Water would be great." Rick said as he watched her pull to water bottles from the fridge and make her way over to the couch. He took the bottle from her and opened it. After he took a sip, he turned and faced Kate where she sat on the other end of the couch.

"So…" He trailed off, unsure of where to start.

"Yeah." Kate said softly, instantly picking up on his hesitation.

Rick nodded and ultimately decided to just go for it. "You have a kid." He said, not caring that he was stating the obvious.

Kate nodded. "I do. She's the only one, so don't worry about any others popping up."

Rick nodded. "Were you going to tell me?" He finally asked, and Kate hated how hurt he sounded.

She nodded. "I was, I promise."

"When?" Rick asked. "After we went out on our date tonight? Or were you gonna wait a few months?"

Kate sighed. "Look, you of all people should know it's not that easy, ok? Are you telling me that you tell Alexis every time you're going out on a date? Or that you let everyone you date meet her?"

"It's not the same, Kate. I'm your partner."

Kate sighed. "I know. But not every guy I've seen since she was born has seen it that way, ok? They find out that I had a kid when I was 18, and they freak the hell out. I _was_ going to tell you about her, I'd planned on bringing it up if you mentioned Alexis. But I wasn't planning on you meeting her so soon."

Rick's features softened. "I know it's not easy, Kate. But I just thought that you'd trust me a little bit more. We've been working together for a few months, and now I'm wondering if I just wasn't paying attention."

Kate shook her head. "You didn't figure anything out because there weren't sufficient clues for you to figure anything out based on. A lot of us at the precinct don't display pictures of our kids, just in case the wrong person is walking through and sees them. But I have pictures and crafts locked in a drawer in my desk."

Rick nodded. "Makes sense."

"You're still upset, aren't you?" Kate asked. "If this is a deal breaker, and you want to back out of our date, it's fine." Kate shook her head. "It wouldn't be the first time." She added quietly.

Rick quickly shook his head. "No." He said forcefully. "It would be extremely hypocritical of me to say that I'm allowed to have a daughter, but you can't have a daughter if you want to date me. I'm still surprise is all."

Kate nodded and let out a sigh. "You have no idea how much that means to me." She said softly.

"The fact that someone would break up with you because you have a daughter is astounding to me, Kate." Rick said softly. "But I'm also happy, because it means I get the chance to woo you."

Kate laughed. "I think I've been sufficiently wooed. Now it's just a matter of your ability to follow through."

Rick smiled at her. "I have no doubts that I'll succeed, Detective."

Kate laughed, but then she stopped suddenly. "Oh."

"What?"

Kate shook her head. "It's nothing, just… I know our plans were for tonight, but she's sick. I mean, I can have my dad babysit if you can't change your plans, but…"

"Say no more, Kate." Rick answered softly as he reached out and laid a gentle hand on her knee. "I would never ask you to leave her alone when she's sick. We can reschedule."

Kate thought about it for a moment. "How about a simple change of plans?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my dad was going to bring her soup, but I can call and ask him not to bother…"

"I wouldn't want to step into his time with the two of you." Rick said honestly.

Kate shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Those two see each other nearly every day. They'll be fine without each other for one day."

"If you're sure…" Rick hedged, still unsure.

Kate smiled. "I'm sure. Assuming you have a recipe for soup?"

Rick smiled. "I'm sure I can think of something. I'll probably just have to go out and buy some ingredients."

Kate nodded. "Knock yourself out." Then she stood up and pulled out her phone as she walked into the kitchen.

Rick pulled out his phone as he heard her talking to her father, and looked up a recipe for chicken soup, finally settling on one he thought might be ok. He made a list of everything he'd need, and when Kate returned to the couch, he smiled at her.

"I'm going to run to the store really quickly, is there anything you need me to get for her?"

Kate shook her head. "No, thanks though. I've got enough Motrin to last for a while."

Rick made a face. "I feel her pain. Alexis used to use that, and then I tried it, and threw away whatever was left in the loft."

Kate laughed softly. "It is pretty horrible, but it gets her fevers down quickly, and that's all I care about."

Rick nodded and stood up. He kissed Kate's cheek softly. "I'll be back." He murmured as he walked to the door and stepped into the hallway.

Once he was gone, Kate sank down into the couch, wondering just what she and Jillian were in for tonight.

* * *

**There you go. I know this probably seems like a weird story, but just give me some time to figure out where I want to take this. I have some ideas, so just bear with me for a little while.**

**Reviews are wonderful. You should write one. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**The next two chapters are gonna focus more on Kate and her daughter, just letting you know now.**

* * *

As soon as Rick left to get the ingredients he'd need to make soup, Kate stood up and walked into her bedroom. Jillian was lying down with her eyes trained on the door, and she hurried to look away when she saw her mother come in, but it wasn't quite quick enough and Kate caught her glance.

"Why are you sleeping, Jill?"

Jillian shrugged. "Not tired anymore, I guess."

Kate looked her daughter over for a moment. Finally, she approached and poked her shoulder until Jillian scooted over enough for Kate to sit down with her head against the headboard. "I know that look. That's your thinking look. Do I need to call the fire department?"

Jillian rolled her eyes. "No."

Kate looked at her for a moment. "Talk to me, Jill. My mind reading abilities are off today."

Jillian looked down at the comforter and picked at a loose thread. Finally she sighed and spoke, but she kept her eyes downcast. "Are you gonna go out with him?"

Kate nodded. "That was the plan. We had to change some things around, so now he's gonna make soup for us."

Jillian nodded. "I thought you said he bugged you. I think you called him a playboy?"

Kate laughed. "I did. And I thought he was, at first."

"But?"

Kate sighed. "But then he saved my life, and I realized it was just a persona. Someone he pretends to be for the press."

"But what if he's just acting now?"

"I've thought about that. But I guess I'll just have to see what happens."

"Does he care? About me existing, I mean."

Kate shook her head and wrapped her arm around Jillian's shoulders. "No. He's got a daughter too, so he can't really complain about you."

Jillian nodded again. "Is he gonna be my dad?"

Kate looked down at her daughter in surprise. "It's a little early for that, Jill. I thought you didn't mind having just me."

"I don't. Or, I didn't. But then Emma said..." Jillian broke off with a sigh.

Kate rolled her eyes. "What did that girl say now?"

Jillian looked back at her hands where they were clasped in her lap. "She said that the reason I didn't have a dad was because no one besides you wanted me. That I was useless."

Kate grabbed her daughter's chin and forced her to look at her. "You know that's not true, right?"

Jillian sighed. "Isn't it, though? I know you love me, and I know Poppa does, and Uncle Kevin and Uncle Javi, and Lanie. But they aren't my dad. Why doesn't he want me?"

Kate sighed and pulled her daughter into a tight hug. "I don't know, Jill."

"Last time I saw him, we barely said a word to each other. Why doesn't he even try? Or is there something wrong with me?"

Kate shook her head. "There is absolutely _nothing_ wrong with you, do you hear me? Nothing. But your dad..." Kate sighed. "We were young, baby girl. He's not the most mature person, as I'm sure you know, and it never would have ended well for you if he'd stuck around, you have to believe that. He liked to party, and he wouldn't have been able to do that if he'd tried being a proper dad."

Jillian nodded, and Kate scrutinized her daughter for a moment. "What else did Emma say?"

Jillian looked up and smiled sheepishly. "She said... she said that I was the reason you're still single. That if you'd gotten rid of me, you'd be married and part of a proper family by now."

Kate's blood boiled. She wanted to call the school and demand to have that insufferable girl banned from returning, but when she'd told her father he'd told her it was nothing more than harmless words. Kate knew he was right in theory, and she knew that Jillian didn't believe most of the stuff Emma told her, but it was hard to let things like _that_ bounce off of you.

"She's so wrong, Jill. You know that, right?" Kate asked, her tone almost begging.

Jillian nodded slowly. "Yeah. But, Momma, can I ask you a question?"

Kate nodded slowly, suddenly wary of where this was going to go. "Did you ever consider not keeping me?"

Kate looked her daughter in the eyes for a moment before she finally nodded slowly. "Now let me explain, Jillian."

When she got a hesitant nod in response from her daughter, Kate smiled and began her story.

"I was 17 when I found out about you. I told your dad, and he said to do whatever, but not to expect him to stick around. I really hadn't even thought about what I would decide, but I knew he wouldn't be a part of it. We were never supposed to be more than a one-night stand anyway. So I made an appointment to get it confirmed, but I still hadn't told my parents. I didn't know how. I was worried they'd be disappointed in me, and that wasn't something I could handle. So when my appointment rolled around, I tried sneaking out, but since it was a Saturday morning, my parents were home, and my mom caught me. I made up some excuse about going to the library, and she said she'd drive me, since she needed to go into work. There was no way for me to get out of it, so I just nodded and got in the car with her. We got the library, and she just stared at me, since I wasn't getting out of the car. Finally, I told her that I had a doctor's appointment, and she started driving me again. She wanted to know what for, and I finally mumbled that I was pregnant. She glanced over at me before she pulled into a parking lot. She cut the engine and just stared at me for a while, and all I could do was stare at my lap. Finally she just started the car again, and we spent the rest of the drive in tense silence. It was so unusual for her to be so quiet."

Kate paused for a moment as she got her words in order. "When we got there, I expected her to just drop me off, but she parked the car and came inside with me. All she said was that she wasn't going to let anyone near me when I was alone. She asked if I was gonna end the pregnancy, and I firmly shook my head. I told her that I'd never be able to live with myself if I did that. She didn't reply, and she still looked so angry. When they called me back, I wanted to ask one of the doctors not to let her in the room with me, but I was still a minor, and she had every right to be there. She just stood by the side of the bed while I answered questions, and I was still so scared. It wasn't until the nurse started the ultrasound that she changed at all. One minute, the screen was black, and the next, I could see you. You didn't look anything like a person then, but you were my baby. I heard her start crying beside me, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen. Eventually, the nurse left, and immediately my mom was hugging me, and I knew she wasn't mad anymore. I said, 'I'm gonna keep her, mom. I'm gonna keep her and I'm gonna raise her.' She laughed and said, 'You don't know that it's a girl.' I just shook my head and promised her that I did. She told me that she'd be there for me, and she'd make sure my dad was too. But she said I had to tell him."

Kate pulled Jillian into her lap and stroked her hair. "We hadn't even met you yet, and we loved you so much. When we got home, my mom had Poppa sit down, and I tried telling him, but I just couldn't. Eventually, I took one of the pictures I'd gotten from the doctor and handed it to him. He was surprised at first, but then he was pulling me into a hug and telling me that he loved me. And that if anyone gave me trouble that he'd sue them.

"So yes, I considered putting you up for adoption. But it wasn't for more than a few days. And after I decided to keep you, I never second guessed myself."

Jillian nodded. "I'm sorry."

Kate shook her head. "Don't be. I'm never gonna lie to you, Jill. I might not answer your questions, especially if I don't think you're old enough to hear the answer, but I'll do my best to never lie to you. As long as you do the same."

Jillian nodded. "Ok."

They sat in silence for a while, before Jillian spoke again. "So how did he finally convince you to date him?"

Kate smiled before she answered.

* * *

**I'm gonna go ahead and end this here. Hope you don't mind. Also, to everyone who might think that a mother would never tell her kid this, I just want to say that all my friends with single moms, and dads too, say that they're best friends and tell each other everything. Even in my family, where I'm lucky enough to have my parents still happily married, my parents will tell me almost anything, with the exception of my father's war stories. Just saying.**

**Reviews are wonderful. You should write one. :)**


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